Check Out Photos Of Nas, Bone Thugs, Schoolboy Q & More From The BUKU Music + Art Festival

(AllHipHop) Hip Hop was properly represented at the 2014 edition of the BUKU Music + Art Festival in New Orleans. Rap vets like Nas, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, and Pusha T along with buzzing rookie Chance The Rapper hit the stage on Friday, March 21st. Day two (Saturday, March 22nd) featured Schoolboy Q, Danny Brown, and Tyler The Creator.

[ALSO READ: Nas Calls NY Emcee Bishop Nehru The “Future Of Music”]

Check out some pics from BUKU 2014 in the gallery below.

(Photo Credit: aLIVE Coverage)

Cassidy Says He Gave R. Kelly Guns At MSG After Pepper Spray Incident W/ Jay Z (VIDEO)

(AllHipHop News) Whoever was running security at Madison Square Garden a decade ago may have to go into hiding after this one. During an interview with ThisIs50, Cassidy revealed for the first time how him and “a couple of goons” gave R. Kelly a special brand of assistance following the pepper spray incident during his and Jay Z’s Best of Both Worlds tour in 2004.

By the end of November 2004, two things were abundantly clear: Cassidy and R. Kelly had a monster hit on their hands with “Hotel” and the Best of Both Worlds experiment was had imploded. During an October 29th performance at Madison Square Garden during the pair’s Best of Both Worlds tour, R. Kelly prematurely left the show after believing someone in the crowd flashed a gun. After attempting to return to the stage following the promoter informing Kelly that extra police officers had been dispersed into the crowd, Kelly claimed that an associate of Jay Z’s pepper sprayed the singer.

According to Cassidy, he was in the building preparing to perform “Hotel” with R. Kelly for the first time since its release a year prior. Following the pepper spray incident, Cassidy says he decided to step in and help a collaborator in apparent  need:

Then they come back in there saying him and Jay Z went through something and R. Kelly got pepper sprayed or maced or something. The a couple little while later, I see R. Kelly coming through, he running through, they trying to guard him. But, I ain’t really know what happened. I ain’t know it was Jay Z and them. All I know is he got maced and I was supposed to go on stage with him and it was f*cking up my night. So when his managers came back through, it was me and a couple of goons I was with. Them n*ggas was looking like they were at a disadvantage so, nah’mean, we passed them off a couple burners so they could feel better about themselves.

Cassidy does say he only gave the singer and his team two of the possible “four burners” him and his entourage had in possession. R. Kelly was rushed to St. Vincent’s Hospital, where Cassidy says he and his crew waited to retrieve their loaned out guns from the singer.

In a radio interview with Angie Martinez on Hot 97 the day after the incident, Jay Z shot down R.Kelly’s gun accusations:

That’s Madison Square Garden. You cannot get a gun in Madison Square Garden. Does he know where he’s at?

Two years later, Jay Z’s longtime best friend and business associate Tyran “Ty Ty” Smith pled guilty to disorderly conduct in connection to the incident.

Check out Cassidy speak on the gun exchanging incident with R. Kelly backstage at the Best of Both Worlds tour in 2004 below:

EXCLUSIVE: Former Suge Knight Friends Lloyd Lake & Reggie Wright Discuss Their New 2Pac/Biggie Documentary

(AllHipHop Features) Lloyd “TaTa” Lake and Reggie Wright are on a mission to expose what they see as a 17 year injustice – the murders of Christopher “The Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace and Tupac Shakur. Unlike previous books and movies that focused on the respective killings of the two Hip Hop legends, Lake and Wright hope to create a film that takes a look at an unexamined possible connection to Pac and Big’s deaths.

[ALSO READ: New Documentary To Examine The “Cover-Up” Behind The 2Pac & Notorious B.I.G. Murders]

Justice for Tupac and Biggie will be a tell-all documentary that also explores the idea of government informants infiltrating the Hip Hop community and the role those possible FBI sources played in the deaths of Shakur and Wallace.

In particular, Lake proposes that Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight is a longtime informant, and his relationship with the government affected the still officially unsolved murder cases.

In part 1 of an exclusive interview, AllHipHop.com spoke with Lloyd Lake and Reggie Wright to discuss their film that is still in pre-production and how they became part of Suge’s inner circle at one point.

On how they first met Suge Knight

 

Lloyd Lake: The first time I ever met [Suge] was in ’94 backstage at the Snoop and Dre concert in San Diego. I think it was Buntry at the time… I’m not sure who made the introduction back then, but later on, probably about 2001 when Suge was incarcerated – this is how I met Reggie – CJ Mac did a song dissing Dre called “I Ain’t Fuccin Wit’ Cha.”

The song was a cold diss on Dre. I asked CJ, “What are you doing with that?” He said, “Nothing.” I said, “Do you want me to take it to Death Row and sell it for you?” He said, “If you can.” That’s when I took it up there. I let Reggie hear it, and he took it to Suge. They cut a check within a week or something. That’s how the relationship started with me, Reg and Suge. I was cool with a lot of different guys running around at Death Row, mainly Buntry. That’s how I met Suge.

Reggie Wright: I had a relationship with [Suge] going all the way back to elementary school, junior high, and high school. I played high school football with him. I went into law enforcement, and he went on to have his little career starting off with Al Heymon. Then back in ’95 or ’94, I got information – because we all grew up in the same area – that some guys that were currently working for him were planning to rob him and hold him for extortion for kidnapping, because he was doing real good financially at the time. He investigated it, found it could be true, and then said, “Hey Reg, the only way this is not going to happen is you need to be right here with me to watch my back.”

On Wright being head of security for Death Row and rumors that Blood gang members were part of Suge’s security team

 

RW: Suge hired me to be the head of security, and I – who was an active police officer at the time – hired some of my co-workers, friends, and retired/active cops when I formed my security company Wright Way Protective Services. That’s how that started, but we did have guys that we grew up with that worked alongside of us as well. They mainly were for the entourage, hanging out with Suge and not so much for the security part. He had learned from that mistake, which would almost cost him dearly, when Snoop got caught up in his situation. That’s when he learned that maybe I need to go and get professional guys to work for me as well.

Lake-Wright

 

On why they are producing the documentary now

 

LL: I decided that now I have facts and knowledge about a couple of things, and the case developed with people cooperating. I looked at the facts of the case and things that were happening to me, and I said there’s only one conclusion on why nothing ever happened with anything is because [Suge] is a government informant.

I’ve been through the federal system before, and I know how thorough they are. When they decide they’re coming after you, they’re coming after you. I just feel like with everything around the board –  there’ve been plenty of crimes. Like a couple of weeks ago, he hit the guy [and the video was posted] on TMZ and threatened his life. I know friends doing life behind stealing a candy bar with two strikes. It’s just certain things that just don’t happen.

I let a few different attorneys look at the situation, and they all said it’s no doubt that this guy is an informant. So now it’s time to speak out. I was around a couple of things he was trying to instigate, so I started feeling like the government uses this guy to create these rap wars. I can’t let it keep happening, knowing what I know. I wouldn’t be right to let it happen.

RW: My reasoning is for a couple of reasons. I have no desire to really talk. I know there have been different DVDs out there by guys that used to work for my security company that were so far away from the basis of the truth. Eventually, the truth has come out I believe.

My reasoning is number one, loyalty to Lloyd Lake. He asked me to help him with his project. The second reason is over the seventeen years a lot of things and different accusations have been said. My kids were younger at the time, so they weren’t really on the Internet or reading, but now that they’re on the Internet, every time these misquotes or misinformation come out. I just wanted to get it cleared up. I know that Suge and some other people are out there trying to do documentaries and movie deals. I want to get my side of the story out before they get their side of the story out.

And then my third reason, and probably the most important reason, is because Suge has been out there slandering my name recently. He also tried to have me incarcerated and had people file police reports against me for making terrorist threats. These things happened back in 2002-2003, but I just learned of them because of how the federal government does when they try to get you to speak on different situations that they know you know about. So they try to show you things that he was doing to me back in those days that I wasn’t aware of.

On who else will be featured in the documentary

 

LL: That’s why we’re going to Kickstarter. We need the donations to finish the project, so we can keep creative control. Right now it’s just been lots of attorneys. You can’t get around lawyers that know the justice system inside and out. Their parts in the documentary are strong as far as just telling the law and how things are impossible without cooperation. It’s me, Reggie, and attorneys as of now, but we’re going to go get some rappers and different people for the documentary before we finish like some of the names Pac mentioned in “To Live In Die L.A.” who were around during that time. We also got Suge’s former best friend Buntry’s brother Tim Alton.

RW: And some street people that were around at the time. Suge doesn’t hang with… none of the people that are around him now are people that were associated with him at the time during his heyday. Any of the people named on “To Live And Die In L.A.” aren’t around him currently. Everybody that’s with him now are new booties.

For more information about the Justice for Tupac and Biggie documentary visit kickstarter.com.

Follow Lloyd Lake on Twitter @Lloyd_TataLake

Part 2 of AllHipHop.com’s interview with Lloyd Lake and Reggie Wright will be published tomorrow.

Watch the teaser for Justice for Tupac and Biggie below.

Access Granted: ‘This is Hot 97’ Cast Interviews

The personalities of New York’s, Hot 97, are challenging their collective creativity in the unscripted comedy, This Is Hot 97. Premiering on VH1 on March 31 at 10:30 PM ET/PT, the fresh series teams the fortified, Mona Scott-Young, et al, as executive producer.

As the radio’s curtain of semi-anonymity is snatched away, viewers are invited to witness the daily shenanigans which enliven the atmosphere of New York’s premiere radio station. Possessing the fruition of dreams fulfilled, this cast of co-workers have melded the boundary of friendships and have become a distinguished family.

Last night (March 24) New York’s, Gotham Comedy Club, hosted the event’s launch party. Following a catered screening, attendees were treated to clever comedy, delicious treats, and lifting Moscato spirits.

Granting access AllHipHop.com delivers this  concise cast interview:

On The Camera’s Unflinching Eye:

Ebro conveys, “It feels cool, man. We have cameras on every day when we do our regular sh*t. So, for us—um—it was actually a little bit freeing. We got to do more long-form crazy sh*t than what we can actually do on radio. And that’s why we wanted to do the program, is because we wanted people to see the kind of fun that we have around the hallways, and sh*t. Because, we have a good time fu*king around and talking sh*t.” That’s what we do all day.”

Rosenberg’s Rosy Perspective:

An effortless candor introduces his statement, “See, as you hear, Ebro, needs to curse every four to six seconds. You can’t do that on the radio! But with a recorded VH1 show, they can bleep when they need to. We can do whatever we need. He’s right though; it definitely freed us up to be ourselves in a way that—even though we tell our personal lives on the radio—you’re so limited in time that it’s kinda cool to play out more of ourselves on camera.”

Miss Info’s Insight Includes:

“It was terrifying—completely terrifying! I’m still terrified; I’m still shaking in my boots right now. I think that we embraced it the same way that we do with everything else. The scarier it is, probably the bigger payoff.  So, we all kinda had to be in [it] together and do it,” admits Hip-Hop’s chronicling veteran.

Laura Styles Says:

“And we had fun. We had a great time shooting it. I think it brought us all closer together—as friends, too,”

Hip-Hop Rumors: Was Jay-Z A Student Of Dr. York?


How much of Jay Z’s rap did you understand when he was dissing track to smithereens? I understood some of it, but definitely not all of it. But…there is a reason….peep the verse in full.

RELATED: Hip-Hop Rumors: Will Drake Respond To Jay?

Hop off the slave ship
Popped off my chain and took it to Jacob, I got it gold plated
Walked in that b#### like “N#### we made it!”
I own my own masters, you know I ain’t missin’ no royalty statements
I can’t be rated (God, God), damn Hov stunt on them haters
Sorry Mrs. Drizzy for so much art talk
Silly me rappin’ ’bout s### that I really bought
While these rappers rap about guns they ain’t shot
And a bunch of other silly s### that they ain’t got
I’m on my Lupita Nyong’o
Stuntin’ on stage, got the 12 Years A Slave
This Ace of Spades look like an Oscar
Black tux, look like a mobster
Don’t make me RRRRAA yah, n#### watch your tone
I come to court with black boxers on
Y’all hella jealous of my melatonin
I could black out at any given moment
I’m God, G is the seventh letter made
So when my arms & feet shackled I still get paid
All praises due
I’m ready to chase the Yakub back into caves
These are the last days, but do I seem fazed?
Showed up to the last supper in some brand new J’s
I’m the true and livin’, book of Hov
New religion, 8th wonder of the world, alien, superstition
You’re blind, baby
Blind to the fact of who you are maybe
My bloodline’s crazy
Kings and queens and Michael Jordan rings
I go stupido, sucio
The flow is filthy, y’all can’t kill me
I’ve been inoculated from the snakes and the fakes
The corny handshakes, c### sucker we made it

Drake needs to reply. He won’t but he should as an emcee and a lyricist. That said, I was recently told that Jay Z is an old school student of Dr. York. His full name is Dr. Malachi Z. York. Back in the day, Dr. York was big in New York and had a ministry of the Nuwaubian persuasion. Honestly, I am not all in the know, but here is what Wiki says to give you some idea.

York’s ministry began in the late 1960s, from 1967 preaching to the “Ansaaru Allah” (viz. African Americans) in Brooklyn, and he founded numerous esoteric or quasi-religious fraternal orders under various names during the 1970s and 1980s, at first centered on pseudo-Islamic themes, Judaism (Nubian Islamic Hebrews), and later moving to a loose “Ancient Egypt” theme, eclectically mixing ideas taken from black nationalism, cryptozoological and UFO religions and popular conspiracy theory. It is now called “Nuwabians”.

You get the idea. It was some consciousness stuff and I’ve been told that Jay Z pulled some of his old knowledge of self from the Dr. York days to lyrically trash Drake. I’m thinking this may actually be true considering the time period in which Jay Z was brought up in Brooklyn, New York – right were Dr. York was based. If you look at the “math” in the diss…it adds up!

“They keep us talking, but if we stop talking about them then they should worry!” -illseed.

Illseed, Out.

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Kat Stacks Speaks On Q & WorldStarHipHop

AllHipHop spoke with Kat Stacks to talk about her life, her book, and her experience with Q and WorldStarHipHop.com. In part one of our interview, the video vixen speaks about how Q treated her and held her back from various opportunities while being at WorldStarHipHop.

Videograpgher DJ Blak Magic

AllHipHop.com’s Ria sums up what Kat Stacks has to say about Q and Worldstar in this 30 sec clip

Tune in tomorrow on AllhipHop.com and see what else Kat Stacks has to say!

Mobb Deep Ft. The Lox “All A Dream”

East Coast rap groups unite for the first time! Prodigy and Havoc of Mobb Deep and The Lox have recorded a track with Sheek Louch, Styles P, and Jadakiss’ and now the ill collabo is final here!

Hip-Hop Rumors: Will Foxy’s Real Ghost Writer Please Stand Up?

This one GOT ME. All these years, I (and I think the rest of the rap world) thought Jay-Z wrote Foxy’s verse on “Ain’t No N***a.” But, that simply ain’t the case. If you didn’t know Foxy had utilized some writing help, then this is going to be devastating to you.

Well, do you know who this man is?

Anyway, that’s Smooth Da Hustler, a 90’s legend. He’s not as well known but he has some hood hits. Anyway, he’s now taking credit for ghostwriting those bars for Fox Boogie. Peep the vid:

Here is Smooth’s no. 1 song “Broken Language” all the way from 1995. This song has been remade on a couple of occasions from the likes of Joe Budden and others.

“They keep us talking, but if we stop talking about them then they should worry!” -illseed.

Illseed, Out.

GET INTERACTIVE WITH ALLHIPHOP.COM!

Follow us on Twitter! Like us on Facebook!

Email illseed rumors: ki*********@***il.com

Rick Rubin: Chris Rock Came Up With Idea For Jay Z’s “99 Problems”

(AllHipHop News) New York Magazine selected Jay Z to appear on one of the covers for the publication’s “Annual Yesteryear Issue.” As part of the feature, legendary producer Rick Rubin shared some information about Jay’s hit single “99 Problems” off The Black Album.

[ALSO READ: Rick Rubin Talks Russell Simmons Being Surprised He Was White & His Return To Producing Hip Hop]

According to Rubin (who produced the track), it was comedic superstar Chris Rock that first suggested Ice-T’s “99 Problems” be reinvented as a new version.

Rubin told NYM (via Vulture):

Actually, Chris Rock had the idea for the chorus. It’s based on an Ice-T song called “99 Problems,” and he said, “Ice-T has this song, and maybe there’s a way to flip it around and do a new version of that.” And I told Jay Z the idea and he liked it. The Ice-T song is about “got 99 problems and a b***h ain’t one,” and then it’s a list of him talking about his girls and what a great pimp he is. And our idea was to use that same hook concept, and instead of it being about the girls that are not his problem, instead of being a bragging song, it’s more about the problems. Like this is about the other side of that story.

[ALSO READ: Pharrell Talks About Trying To Compete With Jay Z]

Other artists to cover New York Magazine’s celebration of 100 years of music in New York include The Notorious B.I.G., Madonna, and Frank Sinatra. The issue also features Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, Wu-Tang Clan, Mary J. Blige, and Nicki Minaj.

[ALSO READ: Memphis Bleek Discusses Starting Jay Z/Nas Battle]

Omar Epps Talks About Seeing 2Pac The Night He Was Shot

(AllHipHop News) Omar Epps and Tupac Shukar will forever be linked thanks to the classic Hip Hop drama Juice. The two actors’ respective characters faced off against each other in Ernest R. Dickerson’s 1992 motion picture.

[ALSO READ: Cast & Crew From “Juice” Share Behind The Scenes Moments From The Movie]

Epps sat down with Larry King Now to promote his new ABC series Resurrection. During the interview the 40-year-old New York native discussed the last time he saw Pac before he was shot in 1996.

“I saw him that night actually. I saw him literally half an hour before he was shot,” said Epps. “We happened to be staying at the same hotel – hadn’t seen him in years. We hugged. I asked, ‘How’s your mother doing?’ Everything was great.”

When Epps woke up the next morning he found out that 2Pac had been shot.

[ALSO READ: Vladimir Putin Top Aide Brushes Off Obama’s Sanctions Because He Can Still Listen To 2Pac]

Watch the full Omar Epps’ interview below.

via VIBE